Observation Report - Employment

Observation Report
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Jenny Meis
Language and Learning
This observation took place in the old capitol mall around 1:00 on a Saturday. The
conversation was between a mother, about 30 years old, and a son, around 7. I observed them
for about 15 minutes. I was behind them in line at Sbarro and then sat next to them at the
tables.
Mother: Ok Alex, what do you want to eat?
Alex: Umm..
Mother: Hurry up make up your mind.
Alex: 2 pieces of pepperoni pizza.
Mother: Look how big they are! You won’t even be able to eat one.
Alex: Yes I will!
Mother: (to the employee) I’ll take one piece of pepperoni…
Alex: MOM! I wanted two!
Mother: Alex, shush. Don’t interrupt me.
Mother: (to the employee) Sorry, that will be one piece of pepperoni and a stuffed
chicken pizza, please.
Alex: You never let me get what I want.
Mother: Alex, not now. Go find a table. What do you want to drink?
Alex: Coke.
(Later at the table)
Alex: Oh my Gosh! Look at that bum!
Mother: Alex! Don’t point at people. It is not nice. (Said in a hushed voice)
Alex: He asked for it. He’s probably on drugs.

Mother: Just because someone lives on the streets does not mean he is a drug addict.
Maybe he lost his job or something. You can’t just judge people like that. You don’t know
anything about him.
Alex: Whatever mom.
Alex: Where are we going after this?
Mother: The library.
Alex: Do I haaaaave to go?
Mom: Yes. You’re coming with me. It won’t take long. I just need to return my book and
you need to pick out a book too.
Alex: Why? I read at school.
Mother: Good. But since you won’t bring a book home from school to read before you
go to bed you’re going to pick one out.
Alex: I won’t read it. I’ll just pretend.
Mother: Alex, I have had about enough of your attitude today. If you don’t knock it off
you’re not going to Jake’s house tonight.
Alex: Fine. I’ll stop. Can we go then? I’m full.
Mother: Yes, Can you throw away your garbage for me?
Alex: I guess.
Description and Analysis
In this analysis I am going to analyze some issues regarding the language displayed in this
dialect. These issues include how long their turns were as they held the floor, what they spoke
about, what special words or verbal constructions they used whether they ever took control of
the topic of conversation, and what encouraged them to talk more or less. I will also identify
the functions of language used in the talk, consider the role of approximation in vocabulary,
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syntax, pronunciation, compare the length of turns, notice who controls the topic of
conversation and how the topic changes, and I will note the structural similarities and
differences between speakers of different ages.
I noticed that the mother held the floor a lot longer than Alex did. Alex seemed to ask a
lot of questions where the mother answered him in detail. She also seemed to talk more in full
sentences where Alex had one word answers and short choppy sentences. I noticed in the
dialect when Alex used words such as “umm,” “whatever,” and put an emphasis on “haaaaave.”
This showed immaturity in his word choice in the conversation and shows lack of education
compared to his mother.
The child was a lot more relaxed on his pronunciation when he talked and the mother
then when the mother talked to him. He seemed to say contractions out more. For an example
when she said “It is not nice to point!” and “Just because someone lives on the streets does not
mean he is a drug addict.”
They talked about what Alex wanted to eat and I noticed the conversation was mainly
about Alex. The only time the mother talked about herself is when she ordered her stuffed
chicken pizza and expressed her want to go to the library. The mother took control of the floor
most of the time but sometimes Alex interrupted his mother, for instance when she ordered
him only 1 slice of pizza when he wanted two. This is interesting because in the article we read,
“Women, Men and Language” Coates talks about how men interrupt more in conversations and
are more aggressive. This is strongly shown in the dialect within this conversation when the
mother does not do something Alex wants. The mother does tend to get a little more
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aggressive at the end when she gets sick of his attitude. I do think this is more of a mother/ son
issue rather than a gender issue due to the age and relationship between them.
They also talked about bums and the mother explained why you shouldn’t point to
people because it’s not nice and not to judge people on first impression. This is another
example of how maturity is shown because of the age difference between them.
Being upset that he only got one slice of pizza encouraged Alex to not talk as much as he
would if he was in a good mood. This urged the mother to talk more to explain her reasoning
behind only buying him one slice. Also, when Alex talks about the bum it encouraged the
mother to talk more as well because she was explaining why he shouldn’t judge the bum.
The mother controls the conversation because she is the authority figure. When Alex
wants to make fun of the bum, the mother redirects the conversation to something more
appropriate. Also, when Alex tries to get out of going to the library his mother takes control and
says you’re going or you won’t go to your friends house. It’s interesting to say that the mother
controls the conversation because Alex, being a male and usually males control conversations
because they are more aggressive and interrupt more, tries to control what they talk about
through interrupting and being defiant with his attitude. He does not succeed in doing this
because of the age factor and not being the authority figure.
The mother’s language changes when she speaks to Alex. She’s a lot less formal with
him than she is when she speaks to the employee. On the other hand, Alex is even less formal
when addressing his mother. When ordering her food, the mom she used manners such as
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“sorry and thank you.” When talking to Alex, she is a little more bossing in telling him what to
do.
A difference in the structure of their dialect that show their age is how Alex talks
choppier and has more one word answers where the mother talks more fluently with longer
answers to questions. A similarity how they both give answers each other’s questions because
lot of times when someone asks someone else to do something, they will just do it instead of
answering them verbally.
In addition, Alex was a lot more relaxed on his pronunciation when he talked and the
mother then when the mother talked to him. He seemed to say contractions out more. For an
example when she said “It is not nice to point!” and “Just because someone lives on the streets
does not mean he is a drug addict.”
Some functions of language I noticed Alex and his mother used include expressive
language and directive language. I saw expressive language when Alex see’s the bum and
immediately starts stereotyping him. This statement evokes feelings and attitudes toward the
bum and also provokes feelings in the mother toward what he said.
In return, the mother responds to Alex in directive language by saying that pointing at
bums and stereotyping him like he did is not the correct thing to do in that situation. I believe
this is directive language because it was used to prevent and overt Alex’s assumptions and
actions.
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